Traditional use of an oligonucleotide probe to determine genotype depends on perfect base pairing to a single-stranded target which is stable to a higher temperature than when imperfect binding occurs due to a mismatch in the target sequence. Bound oligonucleotide is detected at a predetermined single temperature 'snapshot' of the melting profile, allowing the distinction of perfect from imperf...

The utility of temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) as a means of analysing the gut contents of predators was evaluated. Generalist predators consume multiple prey species and a species-specific primer approach may not always be a practical means of analysing predator responses to prey diversity in complex and biodiverse ecosystems. General invertebrate primers were used to amplify t...

A rapid and simple method for separating and identifying plasma lipoproteins is described. The technique utilizes the “molecular sieving” properties of continuous concave gradient electrophoresis on a slab of polyacrylamide (4 to 26%) gel. Gradient gel electrophoresis is particularly suitable for separating lipoproteins according to their molecular weight. The technique can be used to demonstra...

We monitored bacterioplankton communities from Chesapeake Bay over 2 years (2002–2004) by use of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene. Chesapeake Bay bacterioplankton exhibited a repeatable annual pattern and strong seasonal shifts. In winter, the bacterial communities were dominated by Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria, whereas in summer, the predo...